Stephen Graham has had a remarkable 2025, starring in the Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me from Nowhere and co-creating the Netflix hit Adolescence. The drama sparked global debate about online misogyny and incel culture. His collaborator Steven Knight called it 'a cultural phenomenon' that had 'a direct, immediate and positive effect worldwide on human relationships'.
Graham, who has won an Emmy and been nominated for a Golden Globe for Adolescence, remains sceptical about awards. 'What we do isn't football,' he said. 'It's not competitive sport. There aren't winners and losers. It's subjective. I might think something's a bag of shite and it gets five fucking Baftas.' He cited Cillian Murphy never winning a Bafta for Peaky Blinders as an example of the system's flaws.
The actor and Knight are now promoting the return of their Disney+ boxing thriller A Thousand Blows. The second season finds Graham's character, Henry 'Sugar' Goodson, at rock bottom – estranged from his family, drinking heavily and suffering from trenchfoot. 'Those manky feet are a metaphor for the path Sugar has trodden,' Graham said. 'He's at his lowest point ever.'
Graham, a teetotaller, draws on childhood memories for his drunk scenes. 'I was the kind of kid who sat in working men's clubs, getting cans of Coke and bags of crisps bought for me. I saw a lot of great pissheads! I tap into that.' He maintains his physique for the role, though this season's fights are more internal. 'I'm still working out,' he said, flexing his biceps. 'I'm filming something where I play a prisoner, so I've adjusted the regime.'
The series is based on real historical figures, including the bare-knuckle boxer Sugar Goodson. Knight noted that records show Sugar badly beat his brother in a fight, providing a rich foundation for the story. 'All you need is that fact, then you've got a ton of stuff before it and after it to imagine,' he said.
